Disney allegedly hacked by NullBulge over ‘approach to AI’

A group of hackers says it recently leaked internal communications at Walt Disney Co. over the company’s handling of “artist contracts, its approach to AI, and its pretty blatant disregard for the consumer.”

The self-proclaimed hacktivist group known as NullBulge told multiple media outlets, including CNN, that it had breached thousands of Disney’s internal messaging channels and leaked roughly 1.2 terabytes of information.

NullBulge did not immediately respond Tuesday to The Times’ request for comment.

A Disney spokesperson said in a statement to The Times that the Burbank-based entertainment behemoth was “investigating this matter.”

The compromised data included computer code and information about unreleased projects, as well as conversations about marketing, studio technology and job applicants, according to the Wall Street Journal.

NullBulge told CNN that it was based out of Russia and that it penetrated Disney’s system thanks to “a man with Slack access who had cookies” and initially tried to kick the hackers out. Slack is a popular workplace messaging platform used by companies for internal discussions.

NullBulge bills itself as a group “protecting artists’ rights and ensuring fair compensation for their work.”

Companies such as Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix have come under scrutiny lately amid widespread concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence and its effect on entertainment workers.

Labor unions representing Hollywood actors, writers and crew members have all fought in recent months for limitations on the use of AI. The rapidly evolving technology emerged as a key issue in negotiations between the unions and the studios during last year’s strikes by writers and actors.

California lawmakers are also trying to regulate AI through legislation, and tech companies have responded by urging caution against overregulation.